Lenovo and Dell back effort to bring wireless charging to laptops and tablets

TI joins the Alliance for Wireless Power, tells the WPC it can still be friends

It's not quite a "Dear John" letter, but we're sure the Wireless Power Consortium is heartbroken all the same. One of its key members, TI, has just signed up for the Alliance for Wireless Power to build cable-free charging on what's effectively a competing standard. The chip designer doesn't view the move as abandoning a long-time partner, though -- it remains part of the WPC and plans to produce Qi-based wireless power chipsets alongside future A4WP components. Without any related chips to announce, there's a long wait left before we know how well TI can juggle the two charging formats without appearing to play favorites. We'd recommend that the WPC not grow too attached in the meantime.

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TI expands development of wireless power technologies

Supports new Alliance for Wireless Power specification in addition to Wireless Power Consortium Qi standard

DALLAS, Dec. 7, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) today announced it has joined the Alliance for Wireless Power (A4WP). TI will continue to develop new bqTESLA™ wireless power receiver and transmitter integrated circuits that comply with existing and future versions of the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC) Qi standard, and also create products that support the A4WP magnetic resonance specification.

"TI is actively bringing advanced wireless power capabilities to the market," said Sami Kiriaki, senior vice president of TI Power Management. "The WPC Qi specification is clearly the standard for wireless power today, and there is an emerging trend toward loosely coupled technologies – something both WPC and A4WP are exploring. We believe that working closely with both initiatives will help us continue to lead in wireless power."

Organized in April, A4WP is a group of electronics companies, including Samsung, Qualcomm and others, focused on advancing the field of wireless power by delivering a specification that permits spatial freedom. The group officially released its A4WP specification, which is based on loosely coupled magnetic resonance technology, to simultaneously charge smartphones and other portable electronics with different power requirements.

TI is making wireless power a reality

Wireless power is an emerging technology that creates a better charging experience for consumers, just as Wi-Fi replaced the need to use an Ethernet cable for Internet connectivity. TI's advanced receiver and transmitter integrated circuits, such as the recently announced bq51050B single-chip wireless power receiver with integrated charger and bq500410A 3-coil transmitter, are making wireless power a reality. As the leading provider of power management ICs, including battery management and power supply technology, TI relies on its power design expertise to drive innovations in wireless charging. For samples and bqTESLA development kits, visit: www.ti.com/wirelesspower-pr.